holiday season kickoff

So last week was Thanksgiving.  I would love to tell you all that I was miserable being away from family activities and traditions, but thats just not the case.  True, I missed being with my family and it was a bittersweet moment when I was able to have a phone call from home. BUT, I had a fantastic Thanksgiving here in Belize with my Peace Corps family. We celebrated the holiday on Wednesday afternoon after a training session (which was really just an excuse to get together and stuff our faces). Each district - remember, there are 6 in Belize- was responsible for some portion of dinner.  We had a feast!  Turkey, ham, 12! different kinds of stuffing, mashed potatoes, assorted vegetables, breads, salads & desserts. It was wonderful to be surrounded by my group of new friends and I have never felt more thankful to be exactly where I am right now.

On Thanksgiving day itself, a small group of volunteers packed up our things and headed out to the western edge of Cayo District.  We stopped in Benque Viejo for a bit and dropped off our things at our friend Emily's house (which is wonderful!) and then caught a ride in the back of a pick-up to Guatemala.  I now officially have my first stamp in my Peace Corps passport!  It was amazing how crossing a border can change everything...instead of being a mix of languages, Spanish was predominant (and my skills are more than rusty by now), streets were cleaner, and prices were much cheaper!
We spent the afternoon traveling through the market looking for things for our respective new places.  I ate lunch and found a blanket, a notebook, and new flip flops (because mine broke about 10 min. after walking into the country!) all for under $50BZ. 

The rest of the weekend was spent on mini-vacation back in San Ignacio.  I forgot how much fun I have in that city.  We ate, drank, celebrated a birthday and had a blast.  I finally made it to the hammock bridge and swang on the side with my feet dangling above the river.  We got to spend time with old friends and catch up on life.  Also, I was able to enjoy a HOT shower.  There really was no better way to celebrate the kick-off to holiday season.